It’s simple – websites nowadays attract potential customers from everywhere around the world, work 24/7 and are the best way to get informed about particular products, services or brands.
Now, there are two common scenarios for businesses nowadays:
a) a business that (still) doesn’t have a website that is willing to make one
b) a business with a bad website that wants to change it – upgrade to a better one
In both scenarios, there is one inevitable question…
What’s The Cost Of A Website In 2016?
In a nutshell, the website quotes have changed over the years. On top of that, the digital world has advanced to a point where not every website is the same and – which leads us to the fact that there are websites that are very expensive (ones with better features and more complex elements) and websites that are extremely cheap (simple ones).
If you are still wondering what are the standards for a great website nowadays, we are sharing a quick website features checklist that even a basic website should have:
• responsiveness (fitting to any screen, whether it’s desktop or mobile)
• easy navigation
• user-friendliness
• color contrast (balanced colors)
• good SEO performance
• stellar security
The Types Of Websites And Their Costs
The cost of a website in 2016 includes one main factor: the potential complexity to develop it. That is why not every website costs the same. After all, every website is different from content to design – and there are certain levels of effort required for each feature.
Therefore, these are some of the most common small business website types you should be looking at if you are considering the first website for your business, or a website revamp to meet the latest standards.
1. A Simple, Informational Business Website
This first type is a website that is purely informational and features content that promotes the business and its products/services. It does NOT include an eCommerce feature (a shop). What it includes is:
o 3-6 pages including a blog, contact page, About Us page etc.
o social media links and feeds
o email newsletter signup
o miscellaneous features (calendar, gallery, slideshow etc.)
COST: $5000-$7000
2. A Mid-Size Informational Business Website
The second type of small business website is one that is once again primarily informational, but has slightly better features and qualities. It includes some upgrades such as:
o 10-20 pages in total including a blog, contact page, About Us page etc.
o email newsletter signup
o social media links and feeds
o minor features such as gallery, slideshow, slide bar, calendar etc.
COST: $7000-$10,000
3. A Custom (eCommerce) Business Website With Advanced Features
Basically, most of the eCommerce websites are built in a custom way. Even if it’s not about having a Shop as the main feature, custom solutions take more time to be developed and therefore, their price is bigger. Some of the extra features that an eCommerce or fully custom website can have include:
o 10-20 pages in total including a blog, contact page, About Us page etc.
o a shop with 100-500 products
o logo, text content, product info and photos
o email newsletter signup
o automated email system
o social media links and feeds
o custom extra features
COST: $10,000-$40,000
Note: This is the general categorization of the most common website types. There are exceptions and solutions that can be developed additionally, such as integrated ERP solutions, customer account dashboards, live customer support, back-office systems, memberships, multi-language features, databases/directories, customized eCommerce features, additional optimization for social media or SEO, marketing services etc.
The question you most probably have after seeing the costs and making your mind, is:
‘So, Why Do I Need A Website In 2016?’
A lot of businesses have scaled just because they embraced the digital space and created a stellar digital presence (a website) that let them penetrate the market in a better way and reach new customers. Being present online means being up to date with all the recent trends – but also means building authority and entering new markets.
Ultimately, the decision to skip on a website is definitely a bad choice and something that could lead to nothing but a bad future for your business. Investing in a fully-functional website, on the other hand, is the best choice you will ever make.
Elegant Web Services, an Internet Marketing, SEO, Web Design and Web Development agency based in Sydney. We create solutions for small businesses that help improve their online presence and grow their business.
We are a team, crystal-clear in communication, honest in our approach and work to provide tangible results. Get in touch now to see how we can help your business.